Time controlled indicator



May 30, 1933. 1 Y. U K 1,911,448

T IME CONTROLLED INDICATOR Filed March 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l @M M 5w 2 LilhkI/LKHLLffd/ihfi 3mm 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. Y. HUFFAKER TIME CONTROLLED INDICATOR Filed March 31, 1932 May 30, 1933.

Emma

11 III II II II 1 Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES LILLIAN Y. HUFI'AKEB, OF L08 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 'rnrn CONTROLLED mnroa'ron Application filed larch a1. 1932'. Serial No. 602,355. f

This invention relates to a time-controlled indicator, one of the objects being to provide a device ofthis character, which can be built as a part of a watch or clock and which has embodied in it a movable web in the form of a map, an engagement sheet, etc., having means whereby itis operated in timed relation with the clock mechanism so that at any predetermined time indicated by the clock .the indicia to be brought to the attention of the user at that time will be presented to view.

A further object is to provide a structure of this character which is simple and compact in construction, receives its motion from the mechanism of'the timepiece and an be adjusted readily by the user so as o operate at any predetermined speed relative to the time-indicating means.

With the foregoing and-other objects in view which will appear as the description v proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from,the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawin s: Figure 1'is a'p an view of the device. I 5 Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the casing and a portion of the mechanism therein.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3- -3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line H, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Figure 1'.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of one of the spools of the web.

Figure 7 is a view showlng in end elevation and in side elevation, one of the studs for actuating a spool. I

Referring to the'figures by characters of reference 1 designates a casing of any desired proportions, and in the structure illustrated this casing is designed to hold a tape containing a map adapted to be displayed through the casing. The structure has been shown in separate compartments'2 and 3 spaced by partition 4-and a watch or clock dial 5 is arranged over one of these compartments while an opening 6 is provided over the other compartment 3.

An arbor 7 is mounted for rotation in the dial 5 and mounted for movement about the axis thereof are the usual hands 8 of the timepiece. These hands are adaptel to be driven by watch or clock mechanism located in compartment 2 and indicated generally at 9. -This mechanismis the same as that commonly employed in timepieces and is 55 adapted to drive a gear 10 which transmits motion through another gear 11 to shaft 12. Bevelled gears, indicated at 13, transmit motion from shaft 12 to shaft 14' and this latter shaft transmits motion through gears 79 15 and 16 to shaft 17. Bevelled gear 18 on shaft 17 drives a gear 19 on shaft 20 and thislatter shaft is provided with concentric gears 21, 22 and 23, each of which includes a circular flange the upper end-of which is *1 toothed as shown. These flanges can be very' thin with their upper edges in the sameplane and the teeth formed. by cutting through said edges.

The flanges are spaced apart so that a shiftable gear 24 can be moved into mesh with the teeth on any one of the flanges. This shiftable gear is carried by a shaft 25 which extends transversely through and is slidable within compartment 3, there being 85,

a head 26 on one end thereof and outside of the casing by means of which the shaft can be rotated and can be shifted longitudinally. For the purpose of holding the shaft n position with its gear in mesh with any one ofv the concentric gears, it is provided with spaced annular grooves 27, any one of which is adapted to receive a spring-pressed ball 28 movably mounted in a socket member 29. Where three circular gears 21, 22 and 23 are provided for separate engagement by gear 24;, four grooves are formed in shaft '25. By shifting said shaft longitudinally the ball 28 will snap into one of these grooves clock or watch mechanism and a movablewheii gear 24 has been pulled out of mesh s the respective remaining gears. Thus it will be-seen that quick and accurate adjustment of the shaft can be effected and that it will not be possible for the shaft to slide accidentally out of any position to which it might be adjusted.

Arranged longitudinally within compartment 3 below and parallel with the open top of the casing, is a supporting plate 30 spaced.

at its ends from the correspondlng ends of the casing as shown particularly. in Figure 4. Thus spaces 30 are provided beyond the ends of this plate to receive guide rolls 32 whichare journaled in compartment 3 and extend transversely thereof.

Arranged longitudinally within compartment 3 beneath plate 30 is a frame member 33 through which shaft 25 extends and mounted on the shaft is a gear 34. The gear is feathered on the shaft so that while the gear is held against lateral movement by frame 33 the sliding movement of the shaft will not be interfered with.

Gear 24 transmits motion through gears and 36 to end shafts 37 which are journaled in a partition 38 in compartment 3 and are provided at their ends with gears 39 which, in turn, mesh with gears 40 mounted These studs are journaled 1n partition 38 and each of them has a key 42 at its inner end adapted to be seatedin on rotatable studs 41.

slots 43 formed in one end of a detachable spool 44. The other end of the spool is recessed, as at 45, to receive a spring-supported stud 46 carried by partition 4.

Each gear 40 is coupled to its bearing stud 41 bya ball clutch indicated at 47. clutch in one gear 40 is disposed oppositely to that in the other gear and the several gears 34, and 36 are so arranged that when shaft 25 is rotated in one direction one of the clutches 47 will act to couple its gear to lts stud 41 while the other gear 40 will be rotated in the same direction but free of its stud. Thus by pulling gear 24 out of mesh with all of the ring gears, shaft 25 can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to drive either of the spools positlvely, one spool when positively driven bemg rotated in one direction while the other spool when positively driven is rotated in the opposite direction. 4

A web of any suitable material has been indicated at 48 and is detachably secured at its ends to the two spools-44. This can be done by slotting the spools, as at 49, and inserting the ends of the web into the slots. The web is extended over, the rolls 32 and plate 30 so that a portion thereof is always exposed through the opening 6.

Web 48 can be provided with any suitable data of interest to the user of the device.

The

For example, a map of a road can be extended longitudinally of the web.

I The gears in the apparatus can be so proportioned that when gear 24 is in mesh with the inner or smaller gear 23, the web will be driven at one speed relative to the movement of the hands 8 While when the gear 24 is moved into mesh with gear '22 or 21 the at which the driver expects to travel. If

the average speed is to be 30 m.p.h. gear 34 is placed in mesh with gear 22 as the tnp begins. Thereafter the tape w1ll gradually move under opening 6 presenting to v ew, in proper succession, the difierent points passed at intervals along the road, these points appearing in the opening 6 approximately at the times indicated by the cooperating clock mechanism.

Instead of using amap on the web'sald web can be divided up to receive entries of appointments to be met at different t1mes during the day. Therefore, as the clock operates, the web will be gradually moved within its compartment to bring to view at the proper times the appointments then due. On the completion of a trip the spools can be removed, it being understood that any desired part of the casing, such as the bottom 50, can be removable to give access to com-' partment 3. A map can be provided for any contemplated trip and 1n some lnstances it would be possible to use one map in travelling in both directions between two points simply by reversing the mapon the spools.

Obviously various other modifications of this invention can be employed. Also instead of using the particular mechanisms 'time' and web-operating mechanism whereby any one of several predetermined lengths of web can-be brought into view within the K 8.' The combination witha casing having opening durlng a selected time interval.

2. An indicator of the class described including a casing, time indicating mechanism carried by one portion of the casing, a web in the casing, web-driving mechanism car- .ried by another portion of the casing, and -a changeable speed transmission for drivingthe web-operating mechanism from the time indicating mechanism and exposing a selected length of web through the openlng in a predetermined time interval. v

3. In an indicator the combination with a time indicating mechanism, of spaced spools, a web detachably connected to the spools, gearing, clutch connections between the gearing and the respective spools for driving the spools separately in opposite directions respectively, and a change-speed mechanism constituting a driving connection between said gearing and the time indicating mechanism for exposing any one of several selected lengths of web between the spools during a predetermined time interval.

4. The combination with a. casing and a clock mechanism therein, of separate gears operatively connected to and driven by said mechanism, web spools-in the casing, gearing for driving the respective spools in either of two directions, and meansshiftable relative to said separate gears and into or out of mesh therewith for transmitting motion at predetermined speeds from. the

clock mechanism to one of the spools to expose between the spools during a predetermined time interval any proportion of web selected by the user.

5. The combination with a timepiece, of a movable web, and change-speed mechanism for driving the web from the timepiece to expose during a predetermined time interval any proportion of web selected by the user.

6. The combination with a casing and clock mechanism carried thereby, there being an opening in the casing, of a map movably supported in the casing for exposure through. the opening, and change speed mechanism operated by the clock mechanism for moving the map relative to the opening at any predetermined speed relative to the operation of the clock mechanism thereby to expose through the opening during a prean opening, of a clock mechanism carried by the casing for indicating time, an indicating member movable in the casing and across the opening, means for transmitting motion to said indicator from the clock mechanism, and means under the control of the user for adjusting the speed of the indicator relative to said mechanism, thereby to expose in the opening during a predetermined time interval any proportion of the indicatin member selected by the user.

In testimony that 'I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

LILLIAN Y. HUFFAKER.

determined time interval any proportion of web selected by the user.

7. The combination with a casing having an opening, of a clock mechanism carried by the casing for indicating time, an .indicating member movable in the casing and across the opening, and change-speed mechanism for driving the indicator from the clock mechanism to expose through the opening during a predetermined time interval any proportion of the indicator selected by .the user. 

